Flintlock ignition mechanism



April 26, 1966 c. L. WILSON 3,247,611

FLINTLOCK IGNITION MECHANI SM Filed April 15, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Curzis L. Wilson 4. r7. ATTORNM April 1966 c.| .w1LsoN 3,247,611

FLINTLOCK IGNITION MECHANISM Filed April 15, 1965 c 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR (u/"ff: Z. M17500 4 05 M ATTORNEYJ.

3,247,611 FLINTLOCK IGNITION MECHANISM Curtis L. Wilson, P.(). Box 1094, Sierra Vista, An'z. Filed Apr. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 448,552 2 Claims. (CI. 4269) mechanism which is fully enclosed and is readily adaptable to many combusion devices, including firearms.

The flintlock device of this invention uses commercially produced, packaged flints, such as are used in cigarette lighters. The invention lends itself to many applications such as: survival weapons, both military and civilian;

- guerrilla warfare weapons, especially in cases where fixed ammunition is hard to obtain or nonexistent; in mass produced arms where a maximum interchangeability of parts and economy of maintenance is imperative; target arms, especially arms used in target matches permitting only muzzle loading arms; sporting weapons i.e. this weapon would be particularly applicable to a double barreled arm; arms to be furnished natives or aboriginese people, where semi-automatic or repeating weapons are prohibited but where possession of firearms is necessary and in firing of guns that are to be .fired in parades or other spectacular exhibitions wherein it is necessary to protect inexperienced personnel against flashback which would be dangerous to the users eyes or face.

It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide a flintlock ignition mechanism which is fully enclosed in its housing.

It is another object of this invention to provide an ignition mechanism which employs standard flints such as are used in cigarette lighters.

A further object is to provide an ignition mechanism providing great safety in its use.

A final object is to provide a flintlock ignition mechanism composed of readily obtainable parts and possessing great economy, long life and reliability.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof, will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation, with parts broken away, of the flintlock ignition mechanism of the invention and as applied to a muzzle loading firearm which is shown as a single shot type gun, the mechanism being in cocke position;

FIG. 2 is a similar View, the parts being in fired position;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the flintlock ignition mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the trigger elements; and,

FIG. 6 is a similar view of the wheel elements. 7

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1, the ignition mechanism is illustrated as applied to a muzzle loading weapon and the mechanism isdesignated generally by reference character 1. The weapon is indicated generally by 2 and is shown as a single shot type gun. The weapon 2 is shown by way of example only as the mechanism 1 could be used in many other applications.

hammer and ratchet The weapon includes the usual barrel 3 United States Patent 0" which is shown attached to the housing 4 of mechanism 1 by threads 5. The barrel 3 is provided with a bore 6, a firing chamber 7 and a conical shaped powder chamber 8. If the mechanism 1 is to be used for other devices, the firing and powder chambers may be redesigned as is expedient for the application.

Housing 4 may be a solid block of metal, or a boxed in enclosure. As shown, housing 4 is a solid block and may be easily bored, milled and threaded to provide spaces for the operating elements and these spaces are better viewed in FIG. 4.

Weapon 2 further includes a stock 9 and a trigger guard 10 which is secured to the stock 9 by screws 11.

Stock 9 is cut out as at 12 to receive mechanism 1 therein and the mechanism may be secured therein by any suitable means, not shown.

Housing 4 is milled out as at 13 to provide a space for a trigger 14 which is fixed medially on a first shaft 15. Shaft 15 is journaled in the side walls 16 of the milled out space 13, one side wall being shown in' FIG. 4. Shaft 15 is further provided with an internally threaded bore 17 at each end, one being shown in FIG. 5, to receive screws 18 and 19. I

A sear-20 integral with a collar 21 having a bore 22 (see FIG. 5) is mounted on shaft 15 for rotation therewith. A pair of washers 23 complete the assembly. In assembly, the sear collar 21 is mounted on shaft 15 and fastened by screw 18. The other end is secured by screw 19. Screws 18 and 19 act to journal shaft 15 in side walls 16 of chamber 13.

A second shaft 24 is journaled on a transverse bore 25 in housing 4. This shaft is provided with internal bores 26 at each end, one bore being shown in FIG. 6. Shaft 24 is serrated to provide teeth 27 at its medial portionv and forms a contact areafor a flint 28 which is received in a bore 29 which is internally threaded at its upper end and is perpendicular to a tangent of transverse bore 25. A coil spring 30 provides bias for flint 28 and ten-' sion is applied thereto by a threaded plug 31. Shaft'24 is preferably at least as wide as housing 4. Other operating elements of the igniting assembly consist of a ratchet wheel 32, a spacer 33, a hammer 34, a cocking piece or pawl 35, a coil' spring 36, a V-shaped spring 37, a pin 38, a long screw 39, a screw 40 and washers 41.

The igniting elements are assembled as follows: Shaft 24 is journaled in bore 25. The long screw 39 is passed through hammer 34, spacer 33, ratchet wheel 32 and washer 41 and is screwed into a bore 26 in shaft 24..

The other screw 40 is passed through a washer 41 and screwed into the other side of shaft 24. Washers 41 prevent side movement of shaft 24. Flint 28 is placed in bore 29, then spring 30. Plug 31 is screwed into the bore 29 and tensioned.

Ratchet wheel 32 is provided with an axial bore 42, spacer 33, a bore 43 and hammer 34, a bore 44, all for receiving shaft 24 therein and to be rotatable therewith with the exception of hammer 34 which is independently rotatable on shaft 24.

Spring 36 is fastened in a hole 45 in hammer 34 at one of its ends and to the side of housing 4 as at 51 and at its other end to a lug 52 integral with hammer 34 as at 55. Spring 36' will normally pull hammer in a clockwise direction.

Then, cocking piece 35 is secured in an inverted U-shaped upper portion 46 of hammer 34 by a pin 47 in holes 48 and V-shaped spring 37 is secured above cocking piece 35 in holes 49 of the U-shaped portion 46.

Movement of scar 20 may be limited by a stop 50 in the side wall of the housing 4.

The sear 20, hammer 34 and ratchet wheel 32, cocking piece 35 and spacer 33 are located outside of housing 4.

Patented Apr. 26, 1966 (D The teeth 27 and flint 28 are completed enclosed in housing 4.

OPERATION As in all muzzle loading guns, a charge of powder, wad or like igniting substance will be placed in chamber 8 by a rod, then a ball or like bullet is placed next to the charge and wadding is tamped in (all not shown).

As seen in FIG. 1, the weapon is in the cocked position with sear 20 engaged by an integral lug 52. The ratchet wheel 32 therefore cannot move. Cocking piece 35 is engaging the teeth on wheel 32 and is held in this engagement by V-shaped spring 37. Coil spring 36 biases hammer 34 in a clockwise manner which also aids in holding the sear 20 in the cocked position.

When it is desired to fire the gun, the trigger 14 is pulled in a clockwise manner and sear 20 is also rotated clockwise to slip off lug 52 whereby spring 36 pulls hammer 34 and ratchet wheel 32 also in a clockwise manner to rotate shaft 24. Teeth 27 rub against flint 28 and produces a spark to ignite a powder charge, not shown, in chamber 8 which is in communication with bore 25, and the explosion propels any missile in the barrel bore.

To recock the weapon, all that is needed is to pull the cocking piece 35 back in a counterclockwise manner until lug 52 slips off sear 20. A spring 53 secured to the side wall of housing 4 and engaged under the sear will urge sear 20 upwards against stop 50. Then the cocking piece 35 is released and V-shaped spring 37 will urge a toothed portion 54 on pawl 35 into the teeth of ratchet wheel 32 to hold it against further clockwise movement.

While only a preferred form of the invention is shown and described, other forms of the invention are contemplated and numerous changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A flintlock igniting mechanism comprising a housing, there being a powder chamber in said housing, a first shaft transversely journaled in said housing, a sear integral with one end of said first shaft, a trigger integral with the medial portion of said first shaft, a transverse bore in said housing and disposed forwardly of said first shaft and being in communication with said powder chamber, a second shaft journaled in said transverse bore, there being a serrated area on said second shaft and disposed adjacent said powder chamber, there being a threaded bore in said housing, said threaded bore being disposed perpendicular to a tangent of said transverse bore and being in communication therewith, a spring biased flint in said tangential bore and normally contacting said serrated area on said second shaft, and means carried by one end of said second shaft for rotating said shaft and cooperating with said sear whereby when said trigger is pulled, said sear will release said means for rotating said second shaft whereby sparks are generated by said serrated area and said flint to produce sparks to ignite a powder charge when in said powder chamber.

2. A flintlock igniting mechanism comprising a housing, there being a powder chamber in said housing, a first shaft transversely journaled in said housing and including a trigger and a forwardly extending, spring-loaded sear, both rotatable therewith, a second shaft transversely journaled in said housing and spaced forwardly from said first shaft, there being a serrated area located medially on said second shaft, an independently rotatable, springloaded hammer mounted on one end of said second shaft, a ratchet wheel mounted on said second shaft and rotatable therewith, a spring-loaded pawl pivotally mounted on said hammer and being in contact with said ratchet wheel and a spring biased flint normally in contact with said serrated area on said second shaft, said sear acting to release said hammer and permit said ratchet wheel to rotate said second shaft whereby said serrated area and said flint will produce sparks to ignite a powder charge when in said powder chamber.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,544 4/1840 Bentley et al. 42-69 1,544 4/1840 Bentley et al. 42-69 6,964 12/1849 Wurfllein 42-69 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner. 

1. A FLINTLOCK IGNITING MECHANISM COMPRISING A HOUSING, THERE BEING A POWDER CHAMBER IN SAID HOUSING, A FIRST SHAFT TRANSVERSELY JOURNALLED IN SAID HOUSING, A SEAR INTEGRAL WITH ONE END OF SAID FIRST SHAFT, A TRIGGER INTEGRAL WITH THE MEDIAL PORTION OF SAID FIRST SHAFT, A TRANSVERSE BORE IN SAID HOUSING AND DISPOSED FORWARDLY OF SAID FIRST SHAFT AND BEING IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID POWDER CHAMBER, A SECOND SHAFT JOURNALED IN SAID TRANSVERSE BORE, THERE BEING A SERRATED AREA ON SAID SECOND SHAFT AND DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID POWDER CHAMBER, THERE BEING A THREADED BORE IN SAID HOUSING, SAID THREADED BORE BEING DISPOSED PERPENDICULAR TO A TANGENT OF SAID TRANSVERSE BORE AND BEING IN COMMUNICATION THEREWITH, A SPRING BIASED FLINT IN SAID TANGENTIAL BORE AND NORMALLY CONTACTING SAID SERRATED AREA ON SAID SECOND SHAFT, AND MEANS CARRIED BY ONE END OF SAID SECOND SHAFT FOR ROTATING SAID SHAFT AND COOPERATING WITH SAID SEAR WHEREBY WHEN SAID TRIGGER IS PULLED, SAID GEAR WILL RELEASE SAID MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID SECOND SHAFT WHEREBY SPARKS ARE GENERATED BY SAID SERRATED AREA AND SAID FLINT TO PRODUCE SPARKS TO IGNITE A POWDER CHARGE WHEN IN SAID POWDER CHAMBER. 